DIAP
Published 4 November 2026, 21:42
Departamento de Investigação e Ação Penal
The investigation department of the public prosecutor's office, where prosecutors run criminal investigations. There are district departments and regional ones — in Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and Évora; the regional ones take larger and more complex cases, such as organised schemes involving several people and countries.
Where you come across it. Prosecutors' announcements about charges being brought; a summons to appear in a criminal case.
DIAP is part of the public prosecutor's office, not the police: it runs the investigation, but searches, forensic tests and operational work are carried out for it by the PJ, PSP or GNR.
Official website: ministeriopublico.pt